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Defy nature and grow great containers

Know where your containers are going before you choose the size advises Mark Cullen, seen here amongst some of his many potted plants at his home northeast of Toronto. (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

Master gardener and Star eRead author Mark Cullen at home with one of his ducks. (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

Begonias, petunias and impatiens will grow best on the east side of your home.

Lily of the valley and hosta will do well in a north-facing location.

Geraniums, portulca and marigolds will flourish in a southern exposure.

Hens and chicks, snapdragons dusty miller and zinnias thrive in a western exposure.

He knows all the tricks for the best garden and lawn under any conditions.

Now master gardener, author and Star columnist Mark Cullen tells all in a new eRead to help with your growing concerns. Mark Cullen’s Secrets of Horticultural Domination: Growing the Best Lawn and Garden on the Block is a guide for both novices and seasoned gardeners.

Find out what will grow best on your home’s hot, dry west side. Learn the natural partner for gaura in your planters. Read how to choose the best ornamental grasses. Cullen explains the calm of sowing and growing — and the release of stress in ripping out dandelions.

A bestselling author, Cullen marks his 20th book, his first electronic version, with Horticultural Domination. Enjoy this excerpt about container gardening:

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Container growing is new to some and an old habit for others.

For many, especially in urban areas, containers are the only way to grow fresh veggies and bold flowers with the balcony, patio, porch or pool deck providing the platform.

It’s not always easy though; a container is not the natural home for any plant, and you may find yourself struggling with the rightsized container, the best medium for the job, plant arrangements or placement. This chapter will give you the confidence to grow great containers and be creative about it.

What Exactly Is Container Gardening?

It is precisely what it sounds like: growing some sort of plant in a container rather than in the ground. For many people, this is their only option; for others, it is a decorative addition to their dwelling or yard. I personally grow a variety of herbs in containers so they can sit right outside the kitchen door: quick, easy access for anyone interested in fresh herbs. My front porch, which runs the length of the house, is embellished with pots full of flowering plants. Window boxes full of geraniums provide a show from inside and outside of the house.

Choosing the Right Containers

A variety of styles that differ in size, shape, material and purpose are available to you so in choosing one, you need to ask yourself a few questions. The first: where will I locate my container?

If your container is going to sit inside, it is best to choose something that isn’t overly heavy: consider your own strength and ability to move the pot once you’ve added the soil. Think about watering too: you don’t want water leaking out of the bottom if you accidentally add too much. Make sure you pick up something to sit underneath; many pots come with matching saucers for this exact purpose. The addition of a drainage disc inside the pot at the bottom is also an option and helps to infuse oxygen into the water and retain moisture.

Outside containers may be a little less finicky, as excess water can flow out of the bottom with no harm to your carpet or wood floor. For indoor and outdoor containers, having drainage holes is essential. You don’t want the roots drowning; they need oxygen just as we do. Soggy roots can result in root rot. Sounds like a joke, but it can be a serious problem.

Another question: if it’s going outside, will I be able to bring it indoors for the winter?

Canadian winters can be tough on containers. Regular clay pots do not stand up well to freezing temperatures, and you may come back in the spring to cracked or completely split pots. This is avoidable, though: if you prefer clay pots, ask for ones that are double-fired. They are much stronger and able to withstand changing temperatures.

Most plastic containers will be able to withstand weather changes, but if you are unsure, it’s best to pack them away where the snow and ice can’t reach.

The key to preserving your pots from one season to another is to avoid freezing in the first place or to empty them in the autumn, clean them and turn them upside down in a dry place, such as your garage or tool shed.

What Will I Use It For?

You should know where the container will be located before you choose the size — nothing worse than getting it home and realizing it’s too big to fit in the space. Then decide what you will be planting in it.

Herbs grow well in dry conditions, so a deep container is not essential: I prefer to plant mine in elongated, rectangular-shaped containers. Growing a tomato? They are heavy feeders with an aggressive root system: choose a container that has a volume at least equal to the size of a bushel. If space is limited, plant in an upsidedown hanging tomato planter.

The demands of annual flowers and perennials vary a great deal. Some enjoy (or tolerate) dry conditions while others need to be hydrated regularly. Astilbe, for instance, is unforgiving when allowed to dry out. The wilted foliage is not very good at rehydrating.

But a geranium will tolerate dryness. Ask a professional at your local garden retailer for the best-performing plants givenyour situation.

The Right Soil for the Job

Outdoor soil is heavy. It has far fewer pores than a potting mix and will become compacted with watering, further decreasing porosity making it difficult for shoots to pop out of the soil and roots to delve deeper.

The best soil is no soil at all. That is, a “soilless” mix. These mixes are created to be used in pots and contain large amounts of peat moss and compost to help retain moisture and nutrients while allowing for good oxygen flow. The new potting mix from the brand CIL also contains Zeba, a biodegradable soil amendment that increases water retention and soil porosity and that cools plants, increasing their photosynthetic rate.

For heavy-feeding plants like tomatoes, your best bet is a vegetable and flower mix, which provides extra nutrients to promote healthy growth.

Choosing the Right Plants

Know the sun exposure (or shade) of the location. That is, north-, east-, south-, or west-facing. Each direction will provide the area with different amounts and intensity of light. Exposure to wind is also a consideration.

Choose plants accordingly and keep this list in hand when you do your shopping.

Assess your area carefully: nearby buildings and trees can cast shadows that affect plant growth. If you have a large tree that provides excess shade, choose more shade-tolerant species.

Northern Exposure

This would be the shady, windy side of the house. It is the best area for annuals: tuberous and fibrous begonias, coleus, trailing lobelia and browallia. Impatiens have been popular for years but are susceptible to a form of downy mildew that can wreak havoc with them later in the season.

Perennials that perform well in a container located in shade include heuchera, hostas, tiarella, ferns and lily of the valley.

Eastern Exposure

This “cool sun” direction will provide about six hours of sunlight during the morning while sheltering containers from the hot afternoon sun and the north/west winds.

It is an excellent place for geraniums, petunias, dusty miller, double impatiens, lobelia, snapdragons, tuberous begonias and salvia. Perennials that perform well in half a day of sun include all of the aforementioned shade plants plus monarda, day lilies, oriental lilies and shasta daisies.

Southern Exposure

This is a bright, hot location, so these containers will need plenty of water, and it is best to plant tough, heat-seeking annuals here. Best choices for a south-facing container include portulaca, zinnias, cleome, marigolds, four o’clocks, geraniums, bacopa and bidens. Perennials planted in a south-facing pot need to be very drought-tolerant, generally. Look for echinacea, hens and chicks, mint and all of the Mediterranean herbs.

Western Exposure

This is hotter and drier than southern exposure because of the wind. Only the most sun-loving plants will thrive here, where the sun hits during its maximum afternoon intensity.

Best choices for this kind of exposure include portulaca, zinnias, marigolds, hanging or balcony-type geraniums, dusty miller, salvia, snapdragons, cleome and petunias. Keep an eye on the water situation as the high heat and wind are likely to dry out everything a little quicker than you would expect.

Perennials that will perform well here include all of the sempervivums (known as hens and chicks), yarrow and roses (providing the container is large enough to accommodate the roots).

Making Colourful Displays

At one time, mixing annuals, herbs and perennials in the same container was taboo. It just didn’t happen. Now it’s commonplace and really makes it easy for all-season colour. Some of my favourite combinations include:

These indispensable kitchen flavours are, for the most part, best grown in full sun. But check the labels when you buy them to be sure. Provide herbs with at least five hours of direct sunlight and avoid fertilizers, which only promote long, stringy growth.

Final Notes

There are products available that can help reduce your watering habits.

Water wicks, for example, contain kelp, alfalfa and starch — all natural ingredients that retain moisture. Simply wet one and pop it into the bottom of your container before adding the soil.

Another product to look for is coir. Made from coconut fibres, these bricks are available at most garden retailers. Soak in a bucket of water for several hours before use and add to your potting mix.

There’s no harm in getting creative and experimenting with your containers. Remember that there is no such thing as failure in the garden, only composting opportunities.

Get the Star’s new eRead by master gardener and bestselling author Mark Cullen. It’s a comprehensive guide for both novices and seasoned gardeners who want to get the most out of their time and money.

Cullen tells you how to reinvigorate your soil, how to make your tomato plants flourishand the best use of ornamental grasses.

He also looks at the future based on emerging trends in the gardening industry.

Mark Cullen’s Secrets to Horticultural Domination: Growing the Best Lawn and Garden on the Block, is available at Stardispatches.com by subscription for just $1 a week. Single copies of Horticultural Domination are also available for $2.99 through the Star store at starstore.ca or itunes at itunes.ca. To find out more about the Star’s eRead program, Star Dispatches, go to stardispatches.com

Mark Cullen is an expert gardener, author, broadcaster and garden editor of Reno and Decor magazine. You can sign up for his free monthly newsletter at markcullen.com, and watch him on CTV Canada AM every Wednesday at 8:45 a.m. You can reach Mark through the “contact” button on his website and follow him on Twitter @MarkCullen4 and Facebook. Mark’s latest book, Canadian Lawn & Garden Secrets, is available at Home Hardware and all major bookstores.

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